The Department and State Board of Education will have to evaluate and determine what options exist for the future of the children in Normandy. If student transfers continue as they did last year, it is clear that the Normandy Schools Collaborative will not have sufficient funds to finish the 2014-15 school year.

The State Board took action in Normandy after hearing from hundreds of Normandy residents, parents and students asking for Normandy schools to remain open. The community wants high quality schools in their neighborhoods, and the Department was prepared to do the hard work to help them achieve that goal. The leadership of the district and the state have worked together to make significant changes in curriculum, educator training and evaluation, and personnel.

Normandy ended the 2013-14 school year with only $1.5 million in operating funds after starting the year with about $9.6 million in reserves. Had the district not cut staff and closed an elementary school at mid-year, they would have ended with an approximate $2 million deficit.

State Board members and Department staff will keep the children at the forefront of all decisions.